A Light Within the Dark
by ListenToTheRainS2
Summary: One year after the incident with the Fireflies, Joel and Ellie had build a life together and nothing seemed to be on their way now. But one day when Joel arrives home and find out Ellie is nowhere to be seen, he will end up having a surprise he didn't ever expected to have.


**A Light Within the Dark**

One whole year had passed since Joel brought Ellie from the hospital. They had make it back together to the settlement after the incident with the Fireflies that almost got Ellie killed for the hope of a vaccine. He had lied to her, but somehow they managed to build a living and a home together. They were a family now.

If someone had ever told him that he someday would learn how to care for this little potty-mouthed 14 years old teenage girl, he would have putted a bullet on their head for being crazy, but it amazingly happened.

Those thoughts were crossing his mind when he arrived at the little house him and Ellie shared, a silly grin crossing his face. He was planning to call Ellie to make some popcorn and watch a movie together that night, but when he opened the door she as nowhere to be seen. That grin immediately left Joel's face, being replaced by a concerned expression.

_Ellie? Are you here?_ He asked, but got no answer.

_Goddamnit! _He cursed in his mind before heading out the door. It was almost night and the sun was very low in the sky. It could be really dangerous for a girl to walk alone in the woods at night, for there lived many wild animals and infected. He must find her. Joel reached his brother Tommy that was talking to his wife Maria next to the horses. Maria was five months pregnant and Tommy didn't take his eye away from her not for one second. He looked surprised when Joel approached him.

_Tommy, have you seen Ellie somewhere? She's not at home and no one at the settlement had seen her._ Joel asked his brother, who looked at him confused.

_No, I haven't seen her since yesterday! Do you want me to help you look for her?_ Tommy said, looking truly concerned.

_No… No, thanks. You have to take care of Maria. I can handle myself._ He declined the brother's help, handing him a quick wave before grabbing a horse and marching to the forest.

She shouldn't have gone far but he was worried sick anyway. She doesn't _normally _does that, so there must be something wrong, and he wanted to find out why. He couldn't understand! Everything seemed to be so fine in the past few weeks, they hadn't even one fight in at least six weeks. He wondered if she had found out something he didn't know and didn't want to tell him. If was that, he was going to throw a darn good lecture at her!

Joel galloped through the forest for one whole hour and saw no sigh of Ellie. It was dark and cold, and he was already starting to get desperate when he heard a singular noise above his head. He stopped for a second to hear it. It sounded like… Guitar strings?! He then looked up and for his utter surprise (and relief) there was Ellie, climbed up on a huge tree picking at the six-string Joel gave her for her 15th birthday.

_Ellie?_ He called in disbelief.

She got a bit startled by the sudden call, nearly falling from the tree.

_What? Who's there?_ She asked, frightened.

_It's okay, it's me! It's me!_ He yelled, trying to calm her down before she fell down of that tree.

She looked at him looking confused for a second and then relieved. Joel just couldn't believe this girl. He helped her down the tree, still didn't knowing what to make out of that. _This girl will still going to give me a heart attack one day! _He thought.

_Damnit Joel, you fucking scared me!_ Ellie said.

_Did _I_ fucking scared you? It was you who scared the crap outta me running off like that! You could have been killed!

_I'm sorry, it's because I was trying to work on my guitar but everything on the settlement was so loud that I had to come here! I was so concentrated that I think I lost notion of time!_ She apologized, sounding truly sorry.

The look on her face was so sincere that he couldn't keep his anger for much longer. She was starting to get him soft. If he kept going like this, he wouldn't live much longer on that wretched world.

_Alright then, let's go back. You had enough of adventures for today._ Joel said with a defeated sight, turning his back to mount the horse.

_Wait!_ Ellie said, stopping him._ I… Tommy told me last week that today was your birthday… Then I thought that I should do something so I… I wrote a song… For you!_ She said, her voice shaking a little.

Even in the dark of the forest, Joel could see she was blushing. He had spent such a long time alone, only struggling to survive that he had even forgot his own birthday. His hand slipped to his broken watch unconsciously. That watch had been the last birthday gift he had received, and it came from his dear daughter Sarah, that had died on that same day. He suddenly felt a little sadness from that memory, but it didn't last long when he saw Ellie's hopeful yet nervous face. With a smile on his face he walked towards her and sat under the tree she has climbed on.

_Well, come on then, I want to hear it!_ He said, patting the space next to him.

Ellie grinned happily, sitting down next to him. She took the guitar and tested the strings, playing some random chords and patting patterns. She did that for a few seconds before starting to pick up a singular musical pattern. It was so soft and delicate that Joel saw himself relaxing at the sound. She was playing the strings so ably and relaxed, like she had done that her whole life. She then took a deep breath and started singing.

_You tucked me in_  
_Turned out the light_  
_Kept me safe_  
_And sound at night_  
_Little girls depend on things like that_

_Held my hand_  
_like you don't care._  
_Had to walk me everywhere._  
_You were always there when I looked back._

_You had to do it all alone_  
_Make a live_  
_And make a home_  
_Must've been as hard as it could be_

_And when I couldn't sleep at night_  
_Scary things wouldn't turn out right_  
_You would to hold my hand_  
_And sing to me._

While singing that last phrase she waved me a smile that I knew very well what meant. Joel could never imagine that little girl could sing like that. He was astonished.

_Sing this part with me Joel._ She asked, handing me a little notebook.

_Caterpillar in the tree  
How you wonder who you'll be?  
Can't go far but you  
Can always dream_

_Wish you may and wish you might  
Don't worry, hold on tight  
I Promise you  
There will come a day  
Butterfly fly away_

Joel took her rhythm very fast, ignoring for a second his manliness and just feeling like a real father again. A father simply singing along with his baby girl.

_Butterfly fly away_  
_Got your wings, now you can't stay_  
_Take those dreams and make them all come true_

_Butterfly fly away_  
_You've been waiting for this day_  
_All along you know just what to do_

_Butterfly,_  
_Butterfly,_  
_Butterfly,_  
_Butterfly fly away_

As she patted the last chords of the song, Joel's heart felt warmer than never before. He chuckled of amusement as he pulled Ellie on a hug that she warmly returned him, a huge smile crossing her lips. Joel couldn't even remember the last time he felt that happy.

_Oh girl, you really are one of a kind!_ He laughed, still holding an arm around her.

_ Did you like it?_ She asked, her voice full of hope.

_If I liked it? That was the best birthday gift I've got in 20 years! Thank you baby girl!_ Joel said, pressing his lips on the top of Ellie's head.

Joel still didn't understand how it happened, but that little girl had grown on him so much. She had come to him on such an unexpected time and had been through so much for him. He didn't care if she was the cure for mankind or anything like that. All he saw was a little girl that had slowly become the light within his dark life.

**Goddamnit I did it! I've been with this idea in my head since I heard this song once again aftar a really long time. I felt it just matched them perfectly so, I had to do it! Just to say, I do not own this song or these characters, and I made a little modifications on the lyrics to fit a little better, but it's very small thing. Hope you guys enjoy this little cute moment between them, and I love reviews so, you guys don't have to be shy, go on, say what you thought of it with no fear, just don't be rude okay?! Se ya' soon! Edit: I forgot to say that, the song on this chapter is Butterfly Fly Away by Miley Cyrus, you can listen to it here if you want to: watch?v=KVm6l4cVku8**


End file.
